Most important: first, strongest, or most influential hero?

[Kuwagaton]

Yeah, that's a great point from Sacred. While Superman is so hugely rooted in wish fulfillment, by design the character set aside human urges for vanity and glory. I like that in early stories he made sure his name wasn't even mentioned in articles. As easy as life seems to be for a man who can do anything, it gets difficult to stay on a path where he doesn't just do anything he wants.

And another reason i say so is because inspirational is noble but vague. Captain America in MCU feels inspirational to a lot of people without his symbol meaning anything or without even saying he is inspirational. But a lot of people struggle with DCEU Superman when the inspiration and hope is always being thrown around in conversations. When Superman saves Regan in All Star that's inspirational. But Morrison was not trying to tell an inspirational story. That may have been the target. But the story was of a God like man in his last days. That becomes inspirational in context of the story. So, i think being the strongest is more important then the other attributes.

Earlier in life I did like Cap more than Superman, but honestly I never found him as inspirational or as moving as a leader. Just better at representing his principles, like how "truth, justice, and the American way" doesn't always describe the thrust of Superman's adventures. When it comes to the movies... I guess I'll have to see Infinity War. Chris Evans is great but I don't think there's any movie where the heart of what makes him Cap is all that compelling.

[Soubhagya]

While i said strength is most important, i will be kidding if i say its the thing which attracts me the most. Its that quality of being inspirational which attracts me the most.

Yet my answer more or less stays the same. I haven't read much of Golden Age. But i did not find him particularly inspirational. But he was powerful. I said important in terms of taking that away will result in making him less then Superman. Taking the Super out of Superman.

But if the question is what the stories should best reflect? (I should have read the OP carefully). I think i completely agree with what JAK said.

For me, I'd say Superman is all three, primarily the first. All other superheroes, as we know them, exist because of him. In-story, I'm fine with him being the first of his generation, but that's still a first. He's the strongest - but not because his power levels are above all others (they don't have to be), but because Superman is as smart as he is powerful, with a strong sense of self and what he can do. That combo makes him stronger than anyone. And who he is and how he does what he does (Sacred said it perfectly) is what makes him the most inspiring.

So in-story, I'd say "inspiring" with heavy doses of the other two. For me as a fan, I'd say "first" with heavy doses of the other two.

To a certain degree, they're very inter-connected, imo.

[Soubhagya]

Yeah, that's a great point from Sacred. While Superman is so hugely rooted in wish fulfillment, by design the character set aside human urges for vanity and glory. I like that in early stories he made sure his name wasn't even mentioned in articles. As easy as life seems to be for a man who can do anything, it gets difficult to stay on a path where he doesn't just do anything he wants.

Earlier in life I did like Cap more than Superman, but honestly I never found him as inspirational or as moving as a leader. Just better at representing his principles, like how "truth, justice, and the American way" doesn't always describe the thrust of Superman's adventures. When it comes to the movies... I guess I'll have to see Infinity War. Chris Evans is great but I don't think there's any movie where the heart of what makes him Cap is all that compelling.

Definitely a great point from Sacred. If you are saying Cap in Infinity War will change your opinion, i don't think so. I don't know about comics, but in the films he is awesome. Easily my favorite character in MCU. He feels like Superman to me. As Jurgens and others said in that google panel. He does not say that he is in charge. But everyone looks up to him. To be fair Cap is acknowledged as the leader by Tony in Age of Ultron. Superman lets Batman think that he is leading. Lol.

He has that sense of inner strength. The sense of having the best qualities of people. He subtly resembles the classical Superman to me. I am not among those who are into bashing DCEU Superman by comparing the two. DCEU Superman is as valid a take of Superman as Reeve was. But yes, people in general are liking Rogers more because he is presented as such. And Superman has been in some bad and mediocre films. I think Man of Steel was a good start but they lost their way.

What i did not like in these films was this use of hope and inspiration. Being 'more human then me' as said by Batman. These are heavy words. And i felt they were tacky in the films except for Man of Steel where it made sense as Jor-El was saying that. If they want inspirational it has not worked here. But in MCU films no one says such heavy words about Captain America. His character feels inspirational naturally. Due to his actions and words. I think most of that was shown in The First Avenger. I think that film is really underrated.

[jimmy]

While i said strength is most important, i will be kidding if i say its the thing which attracts me the most. Its that quality of being inspirational which attracts me the most.

Yet my answer more or less stays the same. I haven't read much of Golden Age. But i did not find him particularly inspirational. But he was powerful. I said important in terms of taking that away will result in making him less then Superman. Taking the Super out of Superman.

But if the question is what the stories should best reflect? (I should have read the OP carefully). I think i completely agree with what JAK said.

However, think of inspiration like adrenaline that you draw strength from - which is both tangible and intangible. Hard to separate!

[Assam]

He's not the strongest hero and he's not even close to being the hero that inspires me the most so I went with the original, even if he isn't technically the first hero.

[Trunks]

I wish every writer would go in seeing him as all 3,and try to have him excude all 3 in their stories

[Restingvoice]

Original.
They can always create the stronger heroes and what inspires people can be different, but even if he's not the first, Superman is the template to how superheroes came to be defined. It's been deconstructed, but when the average people think of superheroes, the first thing that came to mind is someone muscular in tights and capes. Superman.

Wait, the title of the thread has Most Influential. That's my choice.

[daBronzeBomma]

IF we must choose one, but lose the other two (which is foolish, as he should be all 3 at once, but shared universe with other alphas and all).

He is the strongest, as in the overall mightiest of heroes.

He can lose the first superhero title in - universe, and still be in his rightful place among his peers. Plus, unlike Supes, the JSA are utterly irrelevant if they aren't the first.

He can lose the most inspiring title, as too many alpha heroes naturally want to be as independent as possible from him in - universe. Really, no one hero should hold this title in the DCU.

But if he's not the mightiest in - universe among the heroes, then that's where he loses the most in standing.

Superman is not like Captain America, for whom being the most inspiring is all that he has to separate himself from Marvel's other alpha heroes.

[dietrich]

He is the strongest and original hero. I don't find him inspiring because he's far too good. I could never be that good nor do I have any desire to be.

[_Feely_]

Snap answer: All three.

Although that's hardly in stone.

[Kuwagaton]

Definitely a great point from Sacred. If you are saying Cap in Infinity War will change your opinion, i don't think so. I don't know about comics, but in the films he is awesome. Easily my favorite character in MCU. He feels like Superman to me. As Jurgens and others said in that google panel. He does not say that he is in charge. But everyone looks up to him. To be fair Cap is acknowledged as the leader by Tony in Age of Ultron. Superman lets Batman think that he is leading. Lol.

To find the common thread between movie and comic versions of the two, I think Cap does better as a leader since he recognizes that it's his responsibility to lead even if I don't think that's his greatest strength, where Superman will do well in leading even though that's not something he considers a responsibility.

IF we must choose one, but lose the other two (which is foolish, as he should be all 3 at once, but shared universe with other alphas and all).

He is the strongest, as in the overall mightiest of heroes.

He can lose the first superhero title in - universe, and still be in his rightful place among his peers. Plus, unlike Supes, the JSA are utterly irrelevant if they aren't the first.

He can lose the most inspiring title, as too many alpha heroes naturally want to be as independent as possible from him in - universe. Really, no one hero should hold this title in the DCU.

But if he's not the mightiest in - universe among the heroes, then that's where he loses the most in standing.

Superman is not like Captain America, for whom being the most inspiring is all that he has to separate himself from Marvel's other alpha heroes.

You say alpha heroes but you know... doesn't that mean there are beta heroes, and in greater number? Clark inspires the everyman, sure, but he also has a direct number of other super heroes who have gotten their start by watching him. He's also coached a number of independent starters.

What is it you would say he loses if he can't be the mightiest? And what are the requirements for being the mightiest to you?

[phantom1592]

Tough choice... but I have to go with Strongest. The iconic Superman is simply the most powerful character there is. He's the one that can bench press battleships, lift mountains, Throw trains. At the core of Superman... He's the one that does what nobody else can do. Even if there are some who are technically STRONGER... they can't fly or have heat vision and Speed too. He's just this amazing power fantasy of everything you would ever need in a hero.

First? I don't put any stock in that. The Phantom and Zorro were both around before Superman. Heroes with secret identities defending those who can't help themselves... and for those who say they aren't "Super heroes'.... then neither is Batman. It all depends on how you use the term. Even if you just want to say 'First superhero in DC universe'... even that tends to get retconned when JSA gets involved... or just Hawkman or Dr. Fate... or the Green Lantern Corps... or anyone who's been around for hundreds of years.

So no, I don't need Superman to be the FIRST.

As for Influencial? I do find that to be important... but I'm not sure in what aspect. Are there really any characters who ACTUALLY used Superman as an influence? Batman's parents were killed... So were Robin's... Wonder Woman came to Man's world with Steve, Flash was inspired by... well, Jay Garrick,

I'm a little torn trying to nail down a character that actually became a hero because he was influenced by Superman to do so? Legion of Superheroes are future and don't count... STEEL was, but he's not really big time... Everyone's origins are pretty self contained.

Once they ARE public though, I want Superman to be the biggest brightest star that everyone defers to... but a lot of that goes back to the strongest and most all around greatest hero ever concept. If all he had was mild strength and some laser eyes and that's it... I don't think being a great guy would be that inspirational in the grand scheme of things. He needs that SUPER aspect to really stand above the crowd.

[Darkspellmaster]

He is the strongest and original hero. I don't find him inspiring because he's far too good. I could never be that good nor do I have any desire to be.

I find it interesting that you mention this, and have Katsuki as your avatar given his view of All Might. I kind of view both Superman and All might having a similar influence on characters in their perspective worlds. As I recall Bakugo has a lot of desire to be better then All Might, but his reasons for it is because he wants to be the best and in a weird way, inspire others as well. Even though everything about him, even his quirk screams villain, and his attitude also does that, he still wants to be a good guy and fight to help others. Toshinori, like Clark, has flaws, but he ultimately wants to be the symbol and is honestly just as good as Clark is. Both are strong as hell, but both see the good in humanity and want to inspire others to do what's right. Toshi, from what I know, never took this job for fame, he wanted to help others out, and the same was for Clark. He wanted to right what he saw as unjust and wrong in the world and, since he had the powers to do it, he went for it, even if it meant putting himself at risk.

As for my choice I went with inspiring hero. While he is strong and one of the originals, I would say that older Pulp figures were slightly before him, it's really how he makes choices that to me feel the most important at times. Funny story to explain what I mean. So I work at a college and typically I come into the computer lab where I work just at the end of the last class on Mondays. Last week when I came in there was a student who was having an issue regarding her insurance. She needed some papers copied and at first I was going to tell her where to go in the library downstairs. Then, while I was listening to her, I wound up offering to copy them down in the office where I had access to a copier. At first I had no idea why I did it like that, but then, I realized that I had been thinking just a bit before about Superman, and I had subconsciously asked myself what Clark would have done at that moment, and did what I thought was the right thing to do. I actually talked about this with my sister who pointed out to me that Superman, for all the "boy scout" comments, actually tends to represent the more honest and selfless side of how people can act.

To me what makes him strong isn't the muscles and the power, it's the fact that he's willing to make some hard choices while he's not in the suit. He get's inspired by those around him, like Lois, and Perry, and Jimmy and Maggie. I would say even Bruce and Diana inspire him in various ways (like how Bruce is willing to hire people that others wouldn't dream of, and Diana's diplomatic skills and the boundless nature of her love and belief in the truth of things). I think that's what makes him such a cool character in the first place. You can easily write a hero that has a lot of flaws, and makes a ton of mistakes, but it's more interesting to me to deal with a character that, even if they have flaws, they still want to do whats right even if it's not the choice that would be the easiest.

[Jim Kelly]

Action is the first comic book to #1000 and for better or worse all the common tropes of the genre (if not medium) lead back to slamming that green car.

Just because I like to talk about comic book trivia and not to be a killjoy, it should be noted that ACTION COMICS wasn’t the first to reach 1000. Around the world there are weeklies that reached that number a long time ago. And just exclusive to the USA, as an actual comic magazine periodical, Dell’s FOUR COLOR (second series) reached 1000, ending with No. 1354.

I mean, you could qualify the conditions to say ACTION is the first to reach 1000 featuring the same character for its whole run. But that’s not true—ignoring the Supergirl Giants in the 1960s which are part of the numbering (they did have Superman as a supporting character), there was that time when Clark left the title to go to New Krypton and walk across America, while other characters headlined the comic.

And it’s not like ACTION reached the number in a straight forward way. They fudged it so the 52 issues were counted in the numbering. And ACTION became WEEKLY for a year and again had a higher frequency with Rebirth which all pushed it to the milestone mark, ahead of DETECTIVE COMICS even though that should have made the grade first.

To say nothing of ADVENTURE COMICS and MORE FUN COMICS. The gone but not forgotten granddaddies of DC.

I celebrate ACTION’s 1000, with everyone else, but sadly in my record book it has an asterisk.*

*And not an Asterix.

[Kuwagaton]

There were a number of ways to qualify the precedent of Action 1000 but I left it alone as I thought the context of the American superhero niche was clear. But man, I did love those Giffen issues.